


The Ultimate Vow

by Sev1970 (mk_malfoy)



Series: Severus Finds Love Series [7]
Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-07
Updated: 2007-07-07
Packaged: 2017-10-04 05:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Sev1970
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus keeps a promise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ultimate Vow

**Title**: The Ultimate Vow (Fic VII of my 'Severus Finds Love' Series)  
**Author**: [](http://sev1970.livejournal.com/profile)[**sev1970**](http://sev1970.livejournal.com/)  
**~~Pairing~~ Character**: SS  
**Rating**: PG  
**Date Written**: July 07, 2007  
**Summary**: Severus keeps a promise.  
**Warnings**: Character Death...um not Severus!  
**Words**: 1,003  
**Disclaimer**: I own nothing HP -- that would be JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Inc., Warner Bros., and any other entities involved.  
**A/N**: Thanks so much to [](http://magdelena1969.livejournal.com/profile)[**magdelena1969**](http://magdelena1969.livejournal.com/) for beta'ing this for me, and thank you so much for all the ideas you have given me for future fics in the series.

~*~

Bracing himself for whatever was to come, Severus faced the door, not at all feeling confident about his position. Behind him stood the greatest threat to mankind that had existed since Grindelwald, and in front of him would soon stand the one person who wanted him dead more than Voldemort. Yes, things were not looking particularly positive in his estimation.

As the door opened and Potter's green eyes met his, as foolhardy as it seemed, Severus cursed him and watched the young man fall to the ground -- it was regrettable, but he had no choice. He heard footsteps behind him and felt his heart speed up as he turned to meet the evil gaze of the Dark Lord.

"Very nicely done, Severus."

Not even a second later, Voldemort raised his wand to Severus and began shouting the killing curse, but Severus raised the wand in his hand at the same time and pointed it at the loathsome creature in front of him. When both wands met, an arc formed around the two, and within a few seconds misty figures began rising between them. Severus held Harry's wand which he had wordlessly summoned to himself and vowed that he would not let go no matter what. The look on his former master's face was one of complete surprise, but it quickly turned to fury. Severus fervently hoped that this was going to work, because if it didn't, he would soon be dead and his attempt to keep a promise would have failed, yet again.

It seemed like hours as the figures kept wafting up in the air, until finally they stopped. Severus noticed how the Dark Lord was shaking uncontrollably, and he felt confident that this just might possibly work. He was hoping he had unhinged him enough to have rendered him somewhat unsteady. Still holding Potter's wand so that it met its brother, he said a few words, and a Bowtruckle appeared. He took it in his free hand and moved it towards the Dark Lord's wand. When it made contact, there was a pop and the wand snapped in two. Speaking several more words quickly, Severus watched with a smirk on his face as a now completely frightened-looking Voldemort fell to the ground. He lived no more.

Throwing the wand at Harry's still unconscious body, Severus left the premises and headed for the Ministry of Magic, where he demanded to see the new Minister for Magic. He informed the imbecile what he had done, and then he turned himself in; he knew it would matter little the heroic actions he had just taken -- Albus Dumbledore's death would not go unpunished. Severus had remained on the run as long as he had in order to find out exactly how he could spare Potter the fate of killing the Dark Lord, but now that the deed had been done, Severus had no desire to keep running from the boy.

~*~

"Why did you do it, Snape?"

"You'll be wanting to be a bit more clear as to which incident you are referring to."

"Why did you keep me from killing him?"

"Does it matter, Mr Potter?"

"The prophecy--"

"Said nothing about Harry Potter having to kill Lord Voldemort. You detest me, and I have little use for you, but not so long ago, I was asked to do something. I did it. That is all you need to know. Now go." Severus did not give Potter a chance to respond. He turned and allowed the two Aurors to lead him out of the room and back into his cell.

Sitting on the stone bench within, Severus stared at the cell door that had just closed. He had never been free, not really, but he had been able to come and go as he pleased. Now he was in Azkaban -- he was a prisoner.

He leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. Why had he ever made the Vow? Killing Albus Dumbledore in order to prevent Draco from doing so had been the worst moment of Severus's life. He had saved the boy, but he had lost his soul in the process. He had hoped keeping the second part of the Vow would have been easier, yet it had been much more difficult. He had had to save another boy, one whose mother he had not been able to save. He hadn't flinched once about killing the Dark Lord -- that was a task he willingly did and wanted to do. What haunted him to this day was the fact that Harry Potter had deserved the chance to kill the man who had killed his parents. There was a lot of anger in the young Potter, and killing the Dark Lord would have gone a long way in helping him, or so that is what Severus thought. But it all came down to what he had been asked to do. Dumbledore had made him take the _Ultimate Vow_, had made him promise that neither Draco nor Harry would ever have to kill if it was in Severus's power to prevent it. It was an illegal oath, but Albus hadn't cared. He had wanted to spare the young men titles as murderers, and he had assured himself that would indeed be the probable outcome.

No one else knew any of this, and they never would. Guilt was something Severus Snape lived with. It was a horrible thing. He wouldn't subject Potter to knowledge that would cause him to feel such overwhelming grief, and he knew Potter would feel that way, even if it was because of someone he hated. Yes, he loathed Potter for so many reasons, and it would serve the boy right to feel guilt over what had happened, but Severus would only hate himself more if he told Potter in order to spite him. Potter was free, and he deserved to remain that way. He didn't need the lifetime of regret that this information would give him.

The End[  
](http://sev1970.livejournal.com/166426.html)


End file.
